These Guys Follow a Panhandler Right to Her Fiat

Just about everyone has seen a panhandler or two on a corner or median strip begging passing drivers and pedestrians for change, and while some of those people are legitimately needy and homeless, there are also a number of fakers and scammers who utilize the tactic as well to garner money.

One such suspected scammer was surreptitiously followed around by men filming her in the area of Richmond, Virginia, recently, with at least one of them posting the video online in a bid to expose the woman as a fake, according to BizPacReview.

The men confronted the woman in a McDonald’s parking lot as she was about to get into what appeared to be a rather well-kept 2014 Fiat, not exactly the sort of vehicle one would expect a homeless panhandler to be driving around in.

Informing her that she was being streamed live on Facebook and would ultimately become viral on YouTube (which she did, before the video was taken down for allegedly violating bullying and harassing policies), the men peppered her with questions, such as, “What would you like to say to everybody in Richmond?” and “How much did you make today?”

When the men pressed her about faking her claim of homelessness, the woman replied that she was on the streets begging because she suffered a disability, though she refused to elaborate and the men pointed out that the sign she carried stated that she was homeless.

The woman first attempted to obtain the help of McDonald’s employees, but they wanted no part of the developing situation, and after the woman seemingly threatened the life of the man filming her, stating, “Someone is going to end up killing you,” the men backed off and the 4-minute video ended.

Advertisement - story continues below

You can see part of the video here. (Caution: Some explicit language.)

However, the story didn’t end there, as WTVR reported that the woman, identified as 40-year-old Micha Leigh Dominguez, was arrested the following day after the video was posted for allegedly throwing full bottles of Gatorade at a passing car.

Police had responded to a call regarding a “disorderly situation” and were in the process of interviewing Dominguez, who claimed she was being filmed and harassed again, when they learned what she had done just prior to their arrival.

“Upon arrival the officers located the female complainant in the parking lot near the IHOP restaurant. The complainant advised officers that while standing in the median, several people began harassing her and videotaping her,” reported Henrico Police Lt. Richard Cosby.

“While speaking with the complainant, the officers were approached by another woman who told officers that the subject they were talking with had thrown items at their cars while in the parking lot, and that the incident had been videotaped, which was subsequently shared with the officers,” Cosby’s report continued.

Dominguez was ultimately placed under arrest and charged with three felony counts of “throwing a missile at a moving vehicle,” a violation of Virginia statute 18.2-154.

Whether this woman is truly homeless or just a scamming panhandler remained unclear, but considering the nice car she was driving, we are inclined to suspect the latter in this case.